Early Literacy Volunteer Sites in Lane County
(* indicates the site would prefer bilingual English and Spanish speakers.)
Please Contact Sarai Barrera at [email protected] once you have decided what site you
would like to volunteer at.
Things to keep in mind
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Back ground checks: While some back ground checks only take a few days, others may
take up to two weeks. Make sure you have your back ground check done within good
time, preferably before the term starts.
It is best practice to have your site picked out and have your hours set with your
supervisor before the term begins.
Bethel Family Resource Center
1380 Taney,
Eugene 97402
Contact Person: Anne Johnstone-Diaz
Back ground check: yes
Depending on availability, volunteers would have the chance to help plan and participate in
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story times
activities
arts and crafts
Raising A Reader book exchange
parent groups
and early literacy education.
There might also be the opportunity to work on creating a board game for families
based on common core standards. This specific volunteer would need to put in a
dedicated amount of time.
Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays would be the best time to go to the site. There are
Spanish and English parenting groups in which volunteers would give child support, provide
early literacy, and help prepare for the group. Bilingual speakers are encouraged to volunteer.
*Day Care Provider
1765 Bailey Hill Rd
Eugene, Oregon 97402
Contact Person: Margaret Carpio
Back ground check: yes
Day care runs Tuesday through Thursday and currently contains 1-3 year olds. Volunteers
would be involved in
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early literacy activities
and planning activities for children at the site
Margaret would prefer someone who is bilingual who is able to read and speak in English and
Spanish. She would also like to have volunteers who have ideas and activities to contribute to
the group.
*Downtown Languages
221 B St
Springfield, OR
Contact person: Brook Edwards
Downtown Languages is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to offering specialized
language and life-skills classes for people with emerging language skills while improving
communication in our community, and building and strengthening multicultural connections
in Lane County.
Separate handouts describe the volunteer opportunities for Downtown Languages. Contact
Sarai Barrera for more information.
Firs Place Family Center Play Group
1995 Amazon Parkway Ct
Eugene, OR
Contact Person: Eileen Chanti
Background check: yes (It is included in the SVDP volunteer application.)
As a volunteer you can expect to
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facilitate all parts of the playgroup.
o Play with kids
o prepare lunch
o take children outside
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Participate in circle time.
o Rhymes
o Wordplay
o Read books one on one with children.
o Participate in a read aloud session with children and parents (During the read aloud, the
importance of early literacy is addressed with parents and suggestion about what they
can do with their children to promote literacy in their daily life are made.)
First Place Family Center is the "first place families living in homelessness/transition turn to
when they find themselves in crisis. Families are often dealing with trauma, stress, and all the
hurdles that come along with homelessness, including domestic violence, generational poverty,
abuse, and addiction.
ISMT (International School of Modern Technology) Preschool
3575 Donald Street Suite 250
Eugene, OR 97405
Contact person: Abrella Luvert
Back ground check: preferred but not necessary (No background check is necessary as long as
volunteers are working under staff supervision. There is a $3 fee for criminal background check
to be in positions alone with students)
Volunteers can expect to integrate science, math, and technology with their early literacy
volunteerism. Some key aspects of the volunteer work will consist of working on
 calendar/math literacy
 essential early literacy
 working with individuals one on one
 reading stories as a group and one on one
 computer literacy (phonix)
 recess
 and literacy incorporated into games.
There is also a story time held the first Saturday of every month from 11am-1pm for children
and volunteers to participate in. The preschool is also on the busline on bus 24. Times to
contact Abrella would be 8am-5pm. Take a look at the ISMT website at ismteugene.org.
*Migrant Education Program
1200 Highway 99 North
Eugene, Oregon 97402
Contact Person: Marcia Koenig
Back ground check: yes (Can get form on site)
This is a fall, spring, and summer site. Fall and spring volunteers can be expected to help
prepare and participate in a pre-k classroom that begins on March 30. There is also an
opportunity to work on literacy with children and families as a whole. Bilingual volunteers are
preferred.
Oakridge Westfir Family Resource Center
76499Rose St.
Oakridge, OR 97463
Contact Person: Kack Camerer
Back ground check: depends
Volunteers can expect to
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work in a toddler group
participate in class activities
and carry out Raising A Reader duties.
Pearl Buck Preschool
3690 West 1st Ave.
Eugene, OR 97402
Emily Collins
(541)484-4666 ext.5150
Back ground check: yes
As volunteers you can expect to
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engage in activities with the children
facilitate small group activities
supervise playground/gym time, transition, and arrival and departure of students.
volunteers are never left alone with students and do not help with toileting.
Volunteer hours are 8:45-12:45, Monday-Thursday during school sessions. You will have an
orientation meeting with the volunteer coordinator, Emily Collins, and receive a volunteer
packet about the school and volunteer expectations. Volunteers must pass a back ground check
through the Office of Childcare ($3) before volunteering in the school. Visit
http://www.oregon.gov/OCC/Pages/Online_application_informationpage.aspx and complete
the online Central Background Registry (link is on the left side of the page). You will have 30
days to acquire an Oregon Food Handler’s card and will be able to help with food service after
this is complete ($10).
Relief Nursery
1720 W 25th Ave
Eugene, OR 97405
850 South 42nd Street
Springfield, OR 97478
Contact Person: Amy Beauchamp
While Amy is the volunteer coordinator for both sites she is mainly stationed at the Eugene
Site.
Back ground check: yes with the Childcare Division of the State of Oregon
Volunteers can expect to work directly with children under the age of six who are at risk of
abuse or neglect in classroom settings.
Early SMART (Start Making A Reader Today)
525 Mill St.
Springfield, OR 97477
Contact Person: Lorie McNichols
Back Ground check: yes
While SMART has many more volunteer opportunities, early literacy volunteer opportunities
within SMART will consist of having one on one reading support with preschool and
Kindergarten aged children. Volunteer positions are available in
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Head Start Classrooms in Springfield (at the Brattain House) and Eugene(at Fairfield
Elementary)
The Family relief Nursery in Cottage Grove,
and kindergarten classrooms at Adams and Creslane Elementary (in Cottage grove).
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Pleasant Hill Family Resource Center
36386 Hwy. 58, Pleasant Hill 97455
Contact person: Cathy Murphy
Background check: yes
As a volunteer you can expect to
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Participate in playtime.
Patriciate in story book time.
Participate in arts and crafts time.
Aid in implementing Raising A Reader.
Susan’s at Home Childcare
3870 Kincaid St.
Eugene, OR 97405
Contact Person: Susan Sibili-young
Back ground check: no
Volunteers will have the opportunity to
 read aloud to children as a group and on a one on one basis
 and practice one on one first reading steps with children (early literacy skills).
Afternoons work best but time is flexible after 2:30pm and before 5:00pm. With this site there
is also a sister location with a focus on ages 0-2.
Willamalane
250 S. 32nd Street
Springfield, OR 97478
Contact Person: Kim Lyddane
Back ground check: yes
At Willamalane there are two different opportunities for volunteering. There are volunteer
opportunities for students who are working towards a degree in Early Childhood Education.
Willamalane is able to host three to six volunteers who are working towards a degree in Early
Childhood. These students are able to
 volunteer for a long period of time in the early childhood classrooms (several hours a
day)
 help with a variety of activities, crafts and games
 work with staff to determine times when they are able to lead literacy activities.
Students will need to complete a volunteer application along with two background checks prior
to starting.
Students who are not working towards a degree in Early Childhood Education. Willamalane is
expected to host three to five of these volunteers depending on their schedules. These
students are able to
 serve as a special reading guest. (Students will not be able to participate in other activities.)
 read to classrooms in 15 minute increments. There is a potential to move from classroom
to classroom to read if EC classes are on schedule. If they are running behind, the student
will be able to assist with prep activities (counting, sorting, copying, cutting, etc.) until the
next class is ready.
 volunteer 45 minutes to 1 hour per day. You would need to schedule several days of
reading in order to accomplish your hours.
 Students will need to complete a volunteer application along with two background
checks prior to starting.